As part of a larger strategy to help balance the budget of Illinois' Medicaid program, Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed raising the tax on cigarettes across the state -- an idea that's been gaining momentum and support from lawmakers, activist agencies and the public.

Enter the $1-a-pack cigarette tax, which would generate an estimated $337.5 million. Because Washington matches each state dollar spent on Medicaid, the state's gain would double, to $675 million. We support this hike for two reasons: Medicaid, which provides care for smoking-induced illnesses, needs the money; the American Cancer Society estimates that tobacco cost Illinois $1.5 billion in Medicaid spending last year. And making cigarettes costlier means many people will quit or never start.

"Who would want to pay a dollar more for cigarette in Illinois," Rasheed told KWQC. "You know you can go and get them cheaper in Iowa. Everybody is going to Iowa to buy gas in Iowa, everybody would want to buy a cigarettes there too."

But as the newspaper notes, the American Cancer Society's findings suggest that reduced sales could mean reduced tobacco use, which would have a significant impact on the overall financial health of the state and its Medicaid program.

Cullerton's office warned the governor about the difficulty similar legislation has encountered.